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201 Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings Task A – Short Answer Questions Ai: Imagine you are a newly appointed supervisor/manager within your service. You need to update your staff handbook to reflect current employment law. Identify three different sources of information you could use to enable you to do this. The existing hand book, changes in the law since the last update, latest health and safety requirements. Once you have identified a reliable source of information:Aii List three aspects of employment covered by law. My contract and working hours, my rights at work, holidays and time off. List three main features of current employment legislation. Minimum wage, Health and Safety policy, Training Aiii Briefly outline why employment law exists. To oversee the workplace safety and standards, fair wages, retirement and pensions, employee benefits, to name but a few. Employment law dea ls with both the employer and the employee’s actions, rights and responsibilities, as well as their relationship with one another.Task B Your work role For this task you will need the following: †¢ A copy of your contract of employment or employment agreement. If you don’t have a written contract of employment eg if you are employed as a personal assistant, discuss your terms and conditions with your employer and make notes to help you to complete the task; †¢ A recent payslip or pay statement; †¢ Access to your workplace policies and procedures or notes from a discussion with your employer if you are employed as a personal assistant.Bi Describe the terms and conditions of your employment as set out in your contract of employment or employment agreement. Job description – defining the role, responsibility level. Entitlement – rate of pay, holiday entitlement, retirement and ill-health benefits, bonus/overtime rates, uniform and/expenses all owances. Responsibilities: working hours, dress code, reporting illness/absence, annual assessments, complaints procedures, notice periods for leaving/dismissal, requirements to change working hours.D: General: Other part-time work, confidentiality clauses, using company equipment for private use (eg phones, computers, vehicles) general codes of behaviour and adherence to certain corporate practices, health & safety regulations. Bii Describe the information which needs to be shown on your pay slip/ statement. Company name, my name, NI number, Hourly rate, hours worked, Tax Code, Date, Amount earnt before deductions, NI paid, Tax Paid and Net Pay. Also shows Gross Pay to date, NI to date and Tax to date.Biii Identify two changes to personal information which you must report to your employer. Name and address Biv Describe the procedure to follow if you wanted to raise a grievance at work. You may describe this in writing or produce a flow chart or diagram. Bv Explain the agreed ways o f working with your employer in relation to the following areas: 1. Data protection 2. Grievance 3. Conflict management 4. Anti-discriminatory practice 5. Health & safety 6. Confidentiality 7. Whistle blowing Bvi Explain how your role contributes to the overall delivery of the service rovided. Bvii Explain how you could influence the quality of the service provided by; Following best practice within your work role; Showing respect at all times, having respect for residents privacy and dignity when bathing or assisting them in toilet routines. Knocking on doors and waiting before entering a room. Not carrying out the requirements of your role. If a carer wants the clients to do as they are told rather than being given choices and respect, then their quality of life becomes miserable and they will dread that particular ‘so-called' carer being around.Bviii Describe how your own work must be influenced by National factors such as Codes of Practice, National Occupational Standards, Legislation and Government Initiatives. Bix a) Identify two different representative bodies which influence your area of work. b) Describe the role of the two representative bodies you have identified. Task C Career Pathway Create a career pathway plan for yourself, indicating what opportunities are open to you as you progress in your chosen career. Indicate what you will need to learn or any qualifications you might need to gain in order to achieve your goals.Identify sources of information to help you achieve your goals. I am currently a Senior Carer and would like to work up to Deputy Manager or even Manager. To become a Senior carer I had to be trained to do dressings, be a leader, how to deal with a death and admittance to hospital. How to use lifting equipment like a hoist properly. To become a deputy manager I will need to have passed my NVQ level 3 and have previously worked as a Senior Carer or even Head of Care. Task D Presentation or reportPrepare a presentation or repor t on an issue or area of public concern related to the care profession. Your presentation or report should include: †¢ A description of the issue or area of public concern raised †¢ An outline of the different points of view regarding the issue or area of public concern raised †¢ A description of how the issue or area of public concern has affected service provision and methods of working †¢ A description of how public opinion is affected by issues and areas of concern in either the health, social care or children’s and young people's sectors

Goodwill Impairment Testing Essay

Galaxy Sports Inc. (Galaxy), a U.S.-based manufacturer of sports equipment, is a calendar year-end SEC registrant with one operating segment and the following three reporting units: Fitness Equipment. Golf Equipment. Hockey Equipment. Galaxy is in a competitive industry with several publicly traded companies in which growth and profitability are tied to the market and consumer demand Three reporting units are appropriate because discrete financial information is available for each component, each component is a business, and each component is managed separately. The Fitness Equipment component is Galaxy’s largest reporting unit. Over the years, various acquisitions have resulted in recorded goodwill of $200 million assigned entirely to this reporting unit. The Golf Equipment component is a large golf equipment manufacturer that was acquired in 2004. Upon acquisition of the business, Galaxy recorded $130 million of goodwill that was assigned entirely to this reporting unit. The Hockey Equipment component is a small hockey equipment manufacturer acquired in 2003 to gain entry into the very profitable hockey equipment market. Galaxy recorded $30 million of goodwill related to this acquisition, which was assigned entirely to this reporting unit. Galaxy has elected an annual goodwill impairment testing date of December 31 for all three reporting units. In December 2010, Galaxy management engaged Big Time LLC (Big Time), a reputable external valuation firm, to perform three annual ASC 350, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other, impairment analyses (one for each reporting unit) on the $360 million of goodwill recorded by Galaxy as of December 31, 2010. Previously, management had performed the annual goodwill impairment analysis internally. However, given the increasing complexities involved in the calculation and resource constraints at Galaxy, the company decided to use a third party. Through early discussions with Galaxy’s management and Big Time, it was expected that the entity was going to pass step 1 of the goodwill analysis for all three reporting units with a significant cushion (i.e., the estimated fair value of each reporting unit significantly exceeded the book value) for each reporting unit. This was also consistent with the goodwill analysis that was performed internally by Galaxy in the previous year. Copyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-9: Goodwill Impairment T esting Galaxy management indicated that the significant cushion was likely because 2010 Q4 sales were very strong, and strong sales were also expected for 2011and beyond. Big Time completed its analysis in late January 2011 and, as expected, Galaxy passed step 1 of the annual goodwill impairment test for each reporting unit. Galaxy’s common share price was $56.75 as of December 31, 2010. Note: As of December 31, 2010, Galaxy’s share price was $56.75 and 46 million shares were outstanding, indicating a market capitalization of $2.6 billion. The implied control premium of 18 percent is viewed by management as reasonable. First Quarter of 2011 Management released Q1 earnings, which were slightly below expectations. In a Q1 press release, Galaxy attributed the lower earnings to the slowing economy and reduced consumer spending on recreational activities. Galaxy’s common share price fell to $49.25 after the release of Q1 earnings. Second Quarter of 2011 Management released Q2 earnings on July 15, 2011. As in Q1, Q2 earnings were also below expectations because the slowing economy resulted in continuing reductions in consumer spending. In Galaxy’s press release, management discussed the impact of the slowing economy on its business. Further, the company experienced additional pressure on its sales during the quarter as a result of an increase in sports equipment manufactured in China that was being sold at large discount retailers. The equipment has a lower price point, which is appealing to consumers during difficult economic times. Historically, Galaxy has not experienced significant competition from imports because the quality of the imports is inferior to the quality of the sports equipment manufactured by Galaxy. Galaxy’s common share price fell to $45.25. Third Quarter of 2011 During the financial close process, management considered performing an  interim goodwill impairment test but, after reviewing ASC 350, determined it was not necessary. Copyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-9: Goodwill Impairment T esting Page 3 Management released earnings on October 15, 2011, and indicated that although Q3 earnings were significantly below expectations because of a continued slowing economy and reduced consumer spending, revenue would rebound in Q4 as retailers stocked up for the holiday shopping season. Historically, Q4 has been the strongest quarter for Galaxy with Q4 sales representing more than 50 percent of the company’s annual sales. Galaxy’s common share price fell to $31.50 after the earnings release. On September 15, 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, which amends the guidance in ASC 350-202 on testing goodwill for impairment. Under the revised guidance, entities testing goodwill for impairment have the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the reporting unit (i.e., step 1 of the goodwill impairment test). The carryforward option permitted in ASC 350-20-35-29 was removed. The amendments are effective for an nual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted; however, Galaxy elected NOT to early adopt this guidance when performing their annual goodwill impairment test as of December 31, 2011. Year-End 2011 As Galaxy prepared for its annual goodwill impairment test, management determined that (1) assets and liabilities of the Fitness Equipment and Hockey Equipment reporting units had not significantly changed, (2) the most recent fair value determinations (the 2010 analysis prepared by Big Time) for both reporting units resulted in an amount that exceeded the carrying amounts by substantial margins, and (3) on the basis of its analyses, there  have been no significant events or circumstances that would cause the fair value to fall below book value for both reporting units. As a result, management decided to carry forward the prior-year step 1 analyses for the Fitness Equipment and Hockey Equipment reporting units. Management believed that ASC 350 supported its determination to carry forward these analyses. For the Golf Equipment reporting unit, management used the analysis created by Big Time last year and updated it as of December 31, 2011, by using the same growth rate and discount rate as in the prior year. On the basis of this updated analysis, management concluded that the Golf Equipment reporting unit passed step 1. A summary of Galaxy’s 2011 annual goodwill impairment test follows: * We have elected to carry forward the fair value as of December 31, 2010. Note: On December 31, 2011, Galaxy’s share price was $27.50 and 50 million shares were outstanding, indicating a market capitalization of $1.375 billion. We firmly believe that the reporting unit fair values represent management’s view of the company’s business and expectations. The market has undervalued the company’s stock. Accordingly, the implied control premium of 120 percent is viewed by management as reasonable given the overall market climate. Galaxy released year-end earnings on January 25, 2012. On the basis of the annual earnings release and the lack of an expected Q4 rebound, Galaxy’s common share price fell even further, from $27.50 on December 31, 2011, to $21.25 after the earnings release. Galaxy filed its December 31, 2011, Form 10-K on February 10, 2012. Required: Should management have performed an interim goodwill impairment test as of September 30, 2011? Assume no interim test is required. Was management justified in carrying forward the prior-year goodwill impairment test for the Fitness Equipment and Hockey Equipment reporting units?

Civil War in the Summer of 1642 Essay

There were a number of factors and subsequently a number of people who were crucial in aggravating the outbreak of the first English civil war, but most of these people were apart of two prominent parties, namely the royalists and parliamentarians. Of these two groups, two figures outstand as bitter rivals, King Charles I and John Pym; together they contributed most significantly to the disagreement and aggression between Parliament and King. However, ultimately I believe Pym to be the lesser of two evils. The relationship and status of the monarchy in parliament’s eyes had already been in a state of decline even before Charles’ reign. His predecessor had been known as the ‘wisest fool in Christendom’ and there was a lot of resentment towards the former king, James, not only because of the number of times he dissolved parliament but also from his abuse of power and alienation of them through royal prerogatives, which were justified by his own ‘divine right of kings’ belief. It could be argued that Charles was pulled into an uphill battle from the start and was not to blame for the damaged relationship between the commons and himself, however, during Charles’ reign, he made no attempt to reconcile relations even repeating the ideals of his father through the ‘divine right of kings’ and also through the arrogance of his attitude and subsequent dissolution of parliament on many occasions. History seemed to more or less be repeating itself, with 1629 marking the start of the ‘eleven years tyranny’ through which Charles ran solely without parliament. By his own accord, he then enforced a number of taxes and reforms that were heavily criticised by both parliament and public alike. Among these were the religious reforms brought on by the resented Archbishop William Laud, who was suspected of Roman Catholicism which together with the fact Charles’ wife was Catholic, alienated parliament further and fed a rumour of a Catholic conspiracy. Other reforms brought on such as the Star Chamber and prerogative courts were used to silence critics, and further deepened the divide between the two; some parliamentarians such as John Hampden even challenged the changes such as the ship money tax Hampden refused to pay. All these served to further throw away any hope of peaceful negotiations between parliament and Charles, with each new action undertaken gaining more criticism. Undeniably however, one of his biggest critics was John Pym. Pym was a long serving member of parliament who had opposed the monarchy even in the reign of James, having been active in the impeachment of Buckingham in 1625 and in the production of the petition of right in 1628. He had opposed Charles a numerous points and contributed significantly to the disagreement between Parliament and King and the subsequent dissolutions of Parliament; Clarendon had said during the Short Parliament of 1640, Pym had â€Å"had appeared to be the most leading man†. It was no surprise with such enthusiasm that by the time of the Long parliament, Pym had dodged an accusation of treason and become the leader of the opposition to the king. However, it is important to realise Pym was really just fighting for the rights of parliament and against the absolute monarchy Charles was imposing. Like many other puritans, he had good reason to fear the â€Å"Catholic conspiracy† mentioned earlier and believed the despotic government of Charles was a way of de stroying the protestant faith in England. In this light, Charles’ arrogance comes through as he was obviously unable to negotiate over his unreasonable actions. When parliament finally needed to be called again in 1640 due to the Scottish invasion, it marked a point of vulnerability for Charles, which parliament and namely Pym took advantage of. Charles needed funding, and in exchange for the money the Long parliament demanded the impeachment of both Laud and Strafford as well as the removal of the Star Chamber. In both cases, Pym was spearheading the legal proceedings, even having launched a Bill of Attainder to justify a death sentence for Strafford which was soon reluctantly signed by Charles. The Earl of Strafford had been a close advisor of the king, and his death was a huge blow to Charles and something he always regretted given the promise he made to Strafford â€Å"upon the word of a king, you shall not suffer in life, honour or fortune†. As a result, Charles resented parliament and longed for revenge. With the state of relations between King and parliament at an all-time low, the last thing needed was more criticism to an already weakened king, who had just agreed to the Triennial act of 1641 which meant parliament would be called at least every three years. Despite this, Pym and his supporters presented the Grand Remonstrance; a list of 160 grievances and misdeeds of Charles. This in itself was something proposed by Pym and was almost mocking Charles with his â€Å"divine right of kings† ideal now appearing obsolete. This may have proved a last straw for Charles, who would have been building a great sense of anger with Parliament and more specifically with Pym. Indeed soon after in 1642, Pym along with four other prominent members of the opposition was charged with treason, showing just how much of a threat Charles saw Pym as. When Charles took it upon himself to arrive at parliament with 300 soldiers to personally arrest the five members it destroyed any final shreds of trust between Parliament and Charles. Members of parliament were representatives of the people and Charles was arresting five of them for merely criticising. This event embodied to Parliament the absolute monarchy they were fighting against and all the liberties they still needed to fight for. Charles must have even realised the mistake he had made in breaking any remaining ties with parliament, and six days later headed for Oxford to prepare an army of the inevitable coming war. In conclusion, both Pym and Charles can be interpreted as being the reason relations fell apart and Civil war broke out, however, even with Pym’s involvement in many parliamentary dissolutions and explicit opposition to the king, Charles still appears as the most unreasonable. Charles gave plenty of reasons for parliament and members such has Pym to criticise him, having made no attempt to learn from his father’s mistakes, ruling for 11 years purposely without parliament intervention and from imposing taxes and religious reforms which alienated people. The final act of attempting to arrest five members of parliament with hundreds of armed guards, proved not only too aggressive but also the final reason as to why Civil war became the only solution remaining.

Cultural Assessment slp3- 414 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Assessment slp3- 414 - Essay Example The most affected group in the South African society is those between 15 and 49 years of age according to (Avert, 2011). Avert further states that the prevalence of the disease in the country varies according to provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumulanga leading with 15.8 percent and 15.4 percent prevalence respectively. Behaviour Contributing to the high Prevalence of HIV?AIDS in South Africa The high prevalence and incidences of HIV/AIDS in South Africa is mainly associated with irresponsible sexual behaviour and the denial of its actual existence. Statistics show that a minor portion of the population of South Africa start having Sex beyond the age of 15, a time when most people are not yet married. At this age, it is highly unlikely that the youths use contraceptives. Yet another major cause of the health problem is sexual violence, rape being a major factor in this category. The engagement in sex with multiple partners whether or not in a polygamous setting has also featured promin ently as another cause of the disease. The scourge is also noted to be more prevalent among heavy drinkers and drug abusers. Many South Africans are reluctant to go for testing which means that they do not know their HIV status. Because of this, the spread of AIDS has not been curbed effectively as such people spread the disease without knowing.

Equal Opportunities policy in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Equal Opportunities policy in UK - Essay Example The policy covers all aspects of employment, from vacancy advertising, selection recruitment and training to conditions of service and reasons for termination of employment. In order to ensure the effective operation of the policy the company/ organisation/firm/practice/etc maintains records of employees' and applicants' racial origins, gender and disability. The company's/organisation's/firm's/practice/etc long term aim is that the composition of our workforce should reflect that of the community. Timetabled targets will be set for groups in the community that are identified as being underrepresented in the workforce. Where necessary, special steps, as permitted by the relevant Acts of Parliament, will be taken to help disadvantaged and/or underrepresented groups to compete for jobs on a genuine basis of equality. The company's/ organisation's/firm's/practice/etc Equal Opportunity Employment Policy (EOEP), and the measures to implement it, have been devised on the basis of advice from the relevant bodies as well as in consultation with appropriate union and/or employee representatives. The director of personnel/managing director/senior partner/etc, is responsible for the effective operation of the company's/ org... The director of personnel/managing director/senior partner/etc, is responsible for the effective operation of the company's/ organisation's/firm's/practice/etc EOEP. A copy of the EOEP is available from the personnel department/managing director/senior partner/etc (2005). Marshall stated that "The equal opportunities culture in mid-1990's has been one that has tended to have a narrow focus, and to fuse social justice issues with performance standards and improvement, with a greater emphasis on the latter." According to Chmiel the UK legislation does not extend to gay or lesbian workers and it provides only a framework to be adhered to thus the companies may adhere to and comply to the legislation loosely. "The basic premise of equal opportunities is that talent and ability are spread equally through all groups, including men and women, all able bodied and disabled people, and all ethnic groupings." As per the survey conducted by Honey, Meager and Williams in 1993 only one out of 20 organisations approached the legal quota of disabled employees. Discrimination was reported by 22 percent gay and lesbians when applying for jobs, 24 percent in promotions and about 50 percent due to their sexuality (1999). Chmiel further stated that women recruited and promoted under the programme Opportunity 2000 carried a 'Stigma of Incompetence', experienced lower self confidence and backlash from other members in the organisation (1999). Survey results published by Cara Aitchison stated that it was difficult to identify discrimination in recruitment, selection and promotion situations since many reasons could be effectively used as smoke screens, but discrimination occurs in day to day life such as indifferent attitudes

Illicit Networks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Illicit Networks - Assignment Example The spread of false ideologies that justifies violence is also a common aspect of the anarchist groups. Most of the people who join such groups are usually radicalized which makes them a threat to the government and the society as a whole. The anarchist groups have been responsible for several terrorist attacks in Europe that has led to several deaths. The paper thus discusses a hypothetical anarchists group in relation to a terrorism network operating in Western Europe. There are several transnational terrorism groups that have been targeting Western Europe and are likely to interact with the network. Al-Qaeda is one of the transnational organizations that are likely to interact with the network. The group has been involved in various terrorist activities and it has been seeking to recruit members from Western Europe to carry out terrorist activities in the region. The group is also interested in carrying out terrorism activities in western Europe since the governments in the region is heavily involved in the fight against terrorism and has killed several members of Al-Qaeda (Cronin, 2012). The group is therefore likely to interact with the network in order to infiltrate Western Europe and carry out terrorist activities in the region. On other hand, it is also important to note that Al-Qaeda is currently weak and associating with the network will give it a boost. Islamic State of Iraq and Levant is a terrorist group operating in Syria and Iraq and it may also interact with the network. The group has about a thousand members from Western Europe in its rank fighting in Syria and Iraq (Laub & Masters, 2014). The group is a transnational terrorist organization that has always expressed interest in carrying out its terrorist activities in Western Europe. The group is therefore likely to interact with the network for the purposes of recruiting members from Western Europe as well as plan and execute its terrorist activities in

Genesis 12-15, 18 summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Genesis 12-15, 18 summary - Essay Example Abram builds an altar in the mountain to honour him: making it a tradition in every places he pitches tent. He made covenant with God in this alter that on His (God) promises to him. There was a time famine struck the land he was dwelling in causing him to enter Egypt by lying that Sarai was his sister. The government officials see her beauty and forward her to Pharaoh who promises Abraham a lot of wealth and slaves in exchange for her. Later the lord strikes the house of Pharaoh with plaques after which pharaoh learns of the deceit thereby confronting Abram. In the end Abram leaves Egypt chastened and wealthy. Among the many promised to him, the lord likens his Abram’s descendants to the stars in the sky. Abraham goes through so much around that period and by chapter 15, the lord changes his name from Abram to Abraham and his wife from Sarai to Sarah. In chapter 18, the Abraham is visited by three people as he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. He greats them in recognition as his Lords and welcomes them in; offering food and a place to sleep. They ask of Sarah and promised Abraham that a time like that the next year, she will be carrying a baby. Of course due to her old age Sarah laughs it off. When walking out the servants noticed Sodom and Gomorrah and how wicked the place was. Abraham pleads with them not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. The servants decide to leave that place without destroying it since Abraham had pleaded that there might about ten people who are still righteous in the eyes of the

Evaluate the actions of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch Essay

Evaluate the actions of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch explorers and colonizers. Be sure to consider their impact on the native peoples, the environme - Essay Example New trade routes were a necessity in competing with other European countries. Trade of European goods for spices and other goods not available in Europe were in high demand. An explorer who opened up or discovered a new trade route was handsomely compensated by their government. Wilkenson (2002, p. 20) explains â€Å"more and more explorers tried to open up trade routes.† Faster trade routes to countries with raw materials were valuable. The faster a ship could reach a country with valuable resources, the sooner they could beat other countries wanting the same materials. Riches also drove the explorers. They were searching for gold, silver, spices, and other natural resources. Abernethy (2002, p. 211) explains how these explorations were â€Å"leading Spain and Portugal to vie in the early sixteenth century for spice-rich islands off Asia’s southeast coast†. Tales of streets of gold and diamonds lying on the ground made it back to Europe. Although the Europeans did not believe such tales, the explorations were popular. Abernethy (2002, p. 191) reports â€Å"led Europeans to ask more insistently whether statements about the world were supported by the evidence. Maritime exploration having paid rich and unexpected dividends.† The expense was being returned ten fold on ships funded for exploration. Spices, gold, diamonds, and other natural resources were being sold at a fraction of the cost to obtain them. These explorers were treasure hunting for their governments, with the dividends paying off richly. The problem with the Europeans finding riches was where the riches were located. The natural resources were located in North and South America, Africa, and other lands not yet explored by Europeans. The natives they met were exotic. However, the Europeans easily conquered these new cultures in order to take their natural resources. Suddenly, the natives were second class citizens in their own

Decision Making Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decision Making Analysis - Essay Example Naturally, approaching this from a common sense standpoint, the individual is presented with the issue of how to justify the demands that are made by the hiring entity and the supervisor himself. As the case denoted, pressure is being placed upon the supervisor with regards to pressuring the decision-maker to engage in something of an unethical unit of behavior. Naturally, as a new employee, the hiring officer is hesitant to go against the will and intentions of his superiors. Yet, from an ethical standpoint, as well as the universalism promoted by Kant and the social justice theory promoted by Rawls, he in fact has no choice but to at least discuss the situation with the supervisor and see if some type of understanding/agreement can be settled upon that would maximize the utility and ethical approach for each and every individual within a given situation. Oftentimes, within a situation of work expectation and employment, and individual worker is presented with an ethical dilemma tha t does not readily lend itself to being interpreted to maximize the best good for each and every individual involved. ... What is noted all too often in the business world is that individuals are too timid to bring such situations to the light of day for fear that they might be somehow retaliated against for doing so. However, even if this is indeed the case, weighing the situation and allowing for a determination of maximal good to be understood, there is little moral or ethical choice but would allow for one’s superior to be notified of the implicit unfairness of the way in which this particular employment screening process is taking place. Rather than going directly to the boss and stating what is wrong, a much more tactful, and perhaps appropriate level of response, would be to merely mention the situation and ask if the manager/boss had any recommendations with regards to how the equity of the process could be improved upon. Once again, with regards to the case in question, it is the requirement of Joe to ensure that the issue is brought to the attention of the superiors as possibly represen ting an unethical and unfair hiring process. Whether or not he is rewarded or punished for this, it is the right choice not only with regards to the fairness and equity of the hiring process but also with regards to the safety that such a decision could mean with regards to litigation if such a hiring practice were ever leaked and came to the general knowledge of an individual who applied and did not get the job. In this way, the reward for doing the right thing and bringing this situation to the attention of his superiors also has the added reward of being able to provide a level of safety with regards to the role in which Joe might have otherwise played in such a scheme should it ever have been uncovered and litigated. There are few situations in which doing the right

The Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins Essay Example for Free

The Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins Essay The novel The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins. This novel talks about 12 districts that are controlled by the Capitol and the Capitol created The Hunger Games to remind people of the districts about dark day. In the novel, the most prevalent tones are sadness and anger. The Capitol provides 12 districts a dark life, and it also sets a cruel game for the people. All the time, tributes are forced to do something that they do not want to do. Capitol provides 12 districts a dark life. First of all , there is not enough food to feed people, so they have to hunt in the woods, but this is not allowed for anyone. For example, â€Å"Most of the peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they are as hungry for fresh meat as any body is.† ï ¼Ë†P5 Collinsï ¼â€°As the leader of 12 districts, of course the Capitol should provide them a good life, but in fact they are just thinking about themself and do not give their citizens enough food . To support citizens’ life ,these people aret forced to do some things that are not allowed. So people will be happy with a comfortable lifeï ¼Å'and If the life for them is struggleï ¼Å'then that would be very sad. Secondlyï ¼Å'there is a lot of cruel rules for people. For instanceï ¼Å'â€Å"My father could have made good money selling themï ¼Å'but if the officials found out he would have been publicly executed for inciting rebellion.†Ã¯ ¼Ë†P5 Collinsï ¼â€°People need weapons to protect themself in such a dangerous districts. However it is not allowed. the Capitol should not kill people who owns weaponsï ¼Å'because that person may have not done anything. So the rule that weapons are not allowed is so sad for the citizens of Panem. Finally, There is not enough electricity for people,â€Å" But since we are lucky to get two or there hours of electricity in the evening.†(P4-5 Collins) Electricity is very important for living, but the Capitol just gives a few hours of electricity to their citizens, this may bring about bad effect to people’s life. So a life without electricity would be very sad. In conclusion, the life that capitol gives to 12 districts is dark and sad. Th e Capitol created a cruel game to make tributes from 12 districts kill each other. First of all, The Hunger Games breaks many warm families. In detail, each year, there will be two young children chosen from  each district, and at the end, there will be just one tribute left, and other will have died. A child is very important to a family ,but in the game , they are just entertainment tools. At the end of the Games most families of these tributes will lose their child. So the game is so cruel to citizens. In addition, in this game, the tributes’ life are meaninglessï ¼Å'this game is just to make the people merry in the Capitol. As proof, people in the Capitol do not mind tributes die or not, they just enjoy this game , and the Capitol wants make more fun from this game. A life for person is priceless, but capitol just make tributes kill each other. In The Hunger Game ,these tributes are just tools that make the audience happyï ¼Å' so they are being ignored. This is so cruel to the people. Finally, in the Games,the gamemakers give the tributes hope that t wo tributes from the same district would both be the winner,but the Capitol destroyed it at the end. More exactly, â€Å"Under the new ruleï ¼Å'both form the same district will be declared winners if they are the last two alive , Greeting to the contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed.† (P342 Collins) Two people from same district might have mutual feelings with each otherï ¼Å'so the new rule for them is pretty goodï ¼Å'this is a good hope for themï ¼Å'and they can be a team,but at the end, the another new rule is asking two persons that have already formed an alliance kill each otherï ¼Å'that is so cruel for these two people. So what the gamemakers did would make tributes so angry. In conclusionï ¼Å'the rules that the Capitol gives to tributes are so cruel. All the timeï ¼Å'the tributes are forced to do something that they don’t want to do. First of all, Katniss was asked to fall in love with Peeta. In detail, Haymitch wants Katniss and Peeta to get more help from the audience, so he asked Katniss and Peeta to fall in love with each other. Katniss knows that other tributes will be her enemy in the game, include Peeta. So she tries to be far away from Peeta, bu t she just wants to get some help in the game, Haymitch asks her to fall in love with her enemy, and Katniss is so angry about this. Secondly, in the Games, Katniss wants to keep away from the other tributes, but to make more fun, the gamemakers make more danger to try to put all tributes together. For example, the gamemakers are afraid Katniss would not meet another tribute, so they don’t mind whether Katniss dies and they make a fire to change  Katniss’s direction. This game is making the tributes fight by their own and their fate is handed into their own hands, but the gamemakers interfere in the process of the Games. So the tributes are angry with what the gamemakers did . Finally, at the begin of game, what Katniss wants to do is get the weapon ,but she is asked to find water first before the Games started. â€Å"Just clear out ,put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water.†(P149 Collins) Katniss has her own thoughts, and she thinks she is good at hunting, so she needs a weapon, this is what she really wants to do at the beginning of the Games, but Haymitch asked her to do other things. This is not the way Katniss wants to do ,so Katniss is so angry about Haymitch’s advice. In conclusion, the tr ibutes always were asked to do what they don’t want to do, this is so sad and creates anger in them. In summery, the Capitol provides 12 districts a dark life ,also creates a cruel game for citizens . All the time , the tributes are forced to do some things that they do not want to do. So The Hunger Games make people of 12 districts and tributes sad and angry. Work Cited Collins, Suzanne. Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2008. Print

Role of a Manager in an Organization

Role of a Manager in an Organization Introduction Describing the role of a manager in a typical organization. The ethical role for a manager has benefits and consequences of requiring that employees use proper time management performing long hours and adding extensive travel time to their careers is essential to the tasks of a productive manager. When an employee enters into an agreement or contract at the time of employment in which the requirements for employment are stated clear and concise then the employment contract is mutually agree to. As long as the tasks or duties of both parties that are involved to maintain this gainful position are upfront, then the terms of the contract are valid on the actual starting hire date which is the beginning of a managers duties with the prospected employee. Today most job agreements that are considered to be mutually agreed upon are by the employer and employee in having the rights to end the employment agreement when they wish. Because of this type of employment, both parties can choose mor e suitable agreeable arrangements or terminate employment if disagreements arise without conflicts. (Jones, G. R. George, J. M. 2011) The Role of a Manager in a Typical Organization He/She should be good at organizing, staffing, directing, in communication and control. First and foremost the logic of group formation. Second, be informative, monitoring, being a non-discriminator not afraid to be a spokesperson. This person could perform the different activities, without limitations. This manager should be a great figurehead, leader, liaison, and would be physically able to do everyones position under them with intellect and skill. Third reason is efficiency and conservativeness being an Entrepreneur, Disturbance handler, Resource allocator, and Negotiator. Managers control short term goals and the day to day tasks of an organization, as opposed to the long term strategy. He/She should fully protect his team mates. If anything goes wrong he should shoulder the responsibility. (Pieters R.G.M., Van Raaij W.F. 1988) To explain the role of organizational learning and creativity and how it plays in helping managers to improve their decisions is essential to every business. I was Team leader which was a lower management position under the several managers at Sony. When I worked as a customer service representative for Sony as an Informational Consultant to the consumer in answering the phones about trouble shooting issues with Sonys electronic products I assigned to every employee under me a journal packet (my idea). This packet was to assist the employee in noting all issues they have encountered that were or are difficult to solve over the phones. Every Friday at the end of the day for one hour the employees assigned to me, as team leader, had a meeting of the minds. We went over all notes for the past week. Some of the meetings only lasted 20 to 30 minutes because we stayed on top of needed misinformed regulations in operating the companies sold electronics. Every month the team leaders had thei r meeting of the minds with our managers. We did the same things as we the team leaders did with our assigned employees. This process allowed the much needed information to reach the top players in Sony that developed new technology. Additionally this type of company communication was the back bone to new implemented policies that allowed employees to perform their respected positions efficiently. I could go on and tell you the aspects of how Sony operates internally but all employees sign an agreement to prevent vital company information that could be used by the competition. Customer Service was Sonys best defense against the dog eat dog world in business. Much of all of Sonys ideas are from the employee and their creativeness. All of the employees are encouraged to pay close attention to every complaint that they encounter from the consumer. It is the consumers complaints that help Sony stay competitive with better technology and customer service. It is the same for managers when hiring employees looking for gainful employment which is similar to buying a used car. When a perspective employee applies for the job which they are seeking they must take the good with the bad in order to be hired. All business owners lay out the job duties for the manager prior to the initial hire date that is agreed upon. Additionally the employer also gives a brief summery of what the training entails giving the manager and the employee an example of what they are in for while they work for the corporation, like that first test drive prior to buying that use car à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"as isà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ . Of course there are unseen variables that we all encounter in any thing we do and this is where the employer tests the employee to see if they are mentally capable in performing their perspective position that they will be hired for. This is the financing side of the purchase from the used car dealer to make sure you wont j ust drive off with their vehicle and not pay for it. This is also considered as the background check and the credit check verifying the new employees dependability or reliability ethics which are the tasks of the manager. This is where the obligations of a manager or employer come into play enabling employees to create a balanced professional and private lifestyle while working for their corporation. Fitting the Four Functions of Management in a Good Manager Planning: Identifying and selecting suitable goals; which is a principal task of management. (pg.8) This is when a organized outline of ideas and ideals that are appropriate and ethical are decided on that will have a successful result in the work place bringing productivity and profit. Organizing: Structuring working relationships so members of an organization can work together to reach or attain organizational goals; this is another principal task of management. (pg. 9) This is when policy is put into action using that planned outline of ideas and ideals that are appropriate and ethical that are decided on that will have a successful result in the work place assigning the tasks to those that will bringing productivity and profit. Leading: Expressing an idea or feeling fluently and coherently in a clear vision, energizing and enabling organizational members so that they dont misrepresent the part they play in attaining organizational goals; another principal task of management. (pg.10) This is when all that planning and organization that was put into action is being filtered down to those with leadership qualities to train those that will implement a successful result in the work place bringing productivity and profit with professional ethical customer service. Controlling: Forming an idea of the amount, number, or value of how well an organization is reaching its goals and taking appropriate action to maintain or improve performance; another principal tasks of management. (pg.10) This is where all the recorded successful results that were performed in the work place are brought to, to evaluate the productivity and profit with professional ethical customer service to improve the areas that need attention bringing future policies that will positively foster the growth of the business for many more years of professional service. The reliability of the manager is to perform promised services showing dependably and accurately proving responsiveness with the willingness and readiness to provide prompt service to the company and the employee. Competence is a trait for a manager in business that is to possess up-to-date knowledge and skills performing the services with access giving that approachability and ease of contact of service to personnel. A manager must have great customer service that comes with Courtesy in politeness, consideration, and friendliness of service personnel. Business Communication is in keeping employees and customers informed; listening to everyone checking out their Credibility and trustworthiness of their complaints knowing if they are believable and being honest about the issues of the product or situation in question. The manager should foresee the security and freedoms of the company keeping them from danger, risk, or doubt which is essential in understanding and knowing the employee s and customers needs. Which in conclusion the physical evidence of service of a manager towards the company and the consumer only become tangible when the results show profitable value. When Efficiency, Quality, Essential character, Innovation, and Customer responsiveness is positive then do you see the Competitive advantage of a great manager. A manager should also have a concept of diversity which is imperative in the workplace because a diverse staff that has different backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and understanding could have different perspectives on the services provided. Flexible managers in a diverse workplace are should be better at solving the companies troubling issues and implementing new ideas and policies because there are diversified cultures that are able to come up with the needed solutions and ideas internally in the company. (Jones George, 2011, p. 98). The definition of diversity is: people of different age, sex, race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, also those backgrounds concerned with the interaction of social and economic factors, and capabilities/disabilities; the state of being diverse; variety. (Oxford Dictionary 2010) A Diverse work place keeps life interesting. If our friends are like us, We have a better chance at knowing what we and our friends think, especially when they work un der us. If we mix it up a little, we might come to different conclusions. The world is full of different cultures especially America, all of whom have various needs, desires, wants, and demands. The legal environment must politically correct to respond to these, functionally and orderly in society. Beyond that, this country has all sorts of economic issues, all of which, sooner or later become the concern of the employer and the law. This is why managers must be aware of issues like globalization which is necessary for businesses to be competitive to ensure stable revenues and profits. History tells the story of why we as a people reached out to other countries in the first place. America became great because other countries needed our resources like steel, wheat, rice and electronics. Japan had nothing until WE gave it to them. This goes for the rest of the world too. The English and Americans have always dominated the free market in business because of the superior Ideals of Ameri cas forefathers that fought for, what we call today, FREEDOM. This is why America has the reputation of being the melting pot of the world.

Elements that build the identity of a country

Elements that build the identity of a country Chapter Five: Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusion The objective of this paper was to explore the different elements of a country’s identity that builds a country’s image. Each country has unique elements which builds its image. It is seen that the elements that builds the identity of a country plays an important role in framing the general image of the destination. With regards to Kotler’s categories of country images, it was found that Mauritius fits in the category of positive image which is countries granted with natural resources, diverse culture and gastronomy, political stability that makes up its beauty. As such surrounded by the sea, Mauritius has been gifted with inheritance beauty with its wide range of breath-taking natural scenery that makes it in a position to offer a variety of inland and sea activities to cater for the needs of the market. Additionally it was found that the multi ethnic diversity that lives in peace and harmony and sharing their culture is something unique to the image of Mauritius. It also enjoys a sound political environment Image has an important role for so as to differentiate a destination in this highly com petitive market (Yilmaz et al., 2009). The figure below has been formulated by the current author. It shows the relation between country identity and country image. It depicts the unique elements that build the image of Mauritius under the country main factors section. Those main factors establish the promotion strategy of Mauritius. Marketing Promotional Strategies Figure 11: Mauritius Country’s Image Formulated by the current author into the context of Mauritius It is to be noted that the elements of country identity builds its image and if not managed properly it can hamper its image. Notably, challenges to the image of Mauritius is the proliferation of crime activities, prostitution, drug dealing. However, it is argued that irrespective of the prevailing image, tourists keep arriving in Mauritius. By far campaigns aiming to prove that Mauritius is still a safe place to be and that such case is an exception and any country can be victim of has been successful. Moreover, country representatives established in our key markets have been doing a great job in re building the image of Mauritius by focussing on its key strengths. Moreover, this study has also found that in light of the global crisis; priorities of people have changed making long haul travel less preferred leading to a decrease in arrival from our major markets. As such to offset the arrivals from Europe, new markets (Asian countries mainly) have been sought. However, even if it di versifies into new markets, Mauritius must continue to be visible in the European countries. It has been found that the geographical factors of a destination is somewhat an imaginary influences that place marketers should deal in proposing travelers with other valuable offers that will compensate the detriments that cannot be altered. Actually, a destination cannot be re-located from its actual geographical location. Nevertheless, promoters need to offer exciting packages that will make travelers feel distance is not a big deal. For example, despite of the infinity distance and exorbitant fees, nowadays people are committed to travel to space to experience amazing features. Hence, promoters need to propose products or services that are not accessible at competitor’s destinations. In the context of Mauritius, it can be concluded that indeed it possesses unique characteristics that enable it to cater for diverse markets. In this study it has The image of Mauritius is a significant factor on tourists’ decision-making. In the past, the image of Mauritius was entirely focuses around the honeymoons segment. The MTPA has since implemented strategies and campaigns to broaden this image to include many segments which are still unknown by most tourists: family, sports, shopping. This image, which varies from market to market, is stressed upon during fairs, workshops, events, and marketing campaigns to convince potential tourists that the destination meets the requirements they expect from a holiday destination. As Mauritius has a multi-faceted image, its tourism industry can be promoted in different effective ways even in a single market. With regards to promotional activities, it can be stated that the MTPA along with major stakeholders that makes up our tourism sector possess good understanding on promotion practices. In cases where the image of Mauritius was at stake, they have used the right promotional tool (advertising, personal selling, sales promotion) to show that Mauritius is a safe place. Moreover our strategic offices in key markets have been constantly supplying the right information on Mauritius. The main purpose of a brand is to communicate what the destination has to offer that is different and unique. The brand Mauritius is being developed using its unique USP and campaign has proved to be successful. MTPA has been developing and designing the brand of Mauritius with the right strategy so as to effectively communicate its brand promise and brand essence across the world. The major findings of this study can be summarised as follows: The image of Mauritius has been developed largely from its natural elements; history, culture, geographical factors, its people. Such elements can neither be manipulated nor altered easily. However things such regulations to enter the country, information sources (media) can be managed and should be used to improve the image of Mauritius. The research findings have concluded that policies and regulations to enter Mauritius are quite simple. Thus it does not discourage travellers to come to Mauritius. Irrespective of the established assumptions, promotion strategies should inevitably reflect the real situation of the destination and not paint abstract pictures to meet false expectations of tourists. The image of a destination significantly influences consumer’s evaluation. Therefore, the prevailing image decides the actual promotion strategy that will suit the target market. For tourism promotion to be effective, it should be supplemented by trade and investments projects. Those projects shall contribute in paving way for a favourable environment mainly by enhancing the current infrastructures and also introducing recent amenities which are essential in today’s tourism. . In the attempt to create a positive image for Mauritius, the MTPA along with other bodies that builds the tourism sector has made considerable efforts that have succeeded in re building its image in light of major crisis and attracting as much travellers. Recommendations: From the study and analysis, several spots have been identified where improvements could be brought in order to enhance the image of Mauritius and hence maximize tourist’s arrivals. The recommendations are dedicated to the future perspectives of the tourism industry. Government needs to invest in building the event and conference sector We have the basics to start events and conference business in Mauritius: few venues, event companies, and good logistics. However, Mauritius is note widely reputed to be a destination of events and conferences. Infrastructures to support events and conferences are inadequate. Instead of developing huge shopping complexes like bagatelle mall of Mauritius, Cascavelle, Mont Choisy, the government needs to encourage investors to use these plots of land to build venues like the SVICC. In other countries the conference centers are much bigger than the SVICC, they offer accommodation as well. As soon as the existing infrastructures (enlargement of road network, proper lighting and sewage facilities) are in place, the demand for events will automatically arise. Moreover, our unique blend of cultures should be promoted more massively. Incorporate cultural tourism in our core tourism product. Regulate developments As the tourism industry continues to prove successful, people recognize the advantage of investing in the sector. As a result hotel, tourist residences, guest house, restaurants are growing like mushrooms. Identify areas that are already saturated. For example ile aux cerf, there is already enough pleasure crafts operators there. Therefore, no more permits should be given to those saturated spots. A decrease in building permits is an action that needs to be considered by the government because nowadays less and less green spaces are available for tourists who prefer to travel to a destination far away from their stressful lives of buildings and pollution. Rebuilding of the MTPA website The main body aiming at promoting tourism is the MTPA. Since we have tourists from across the world who shows interest in Mauritius. It is worthwhile to consider in re building the MTPA website in different languages. This will ease access to information for everyone. Moreover an online system should be set up whereby any queries posted should be replied back in less than three hours. This will show our professionalism and dedication to be the best. Moreover the MTPA website should be a one stop shop providing information on all aspects of Mauritius (hotels and any other tourist accommodations, nightlife, climate, flight information, etc). Celebrity Marketing To increase tourist arrivals in order to reach its target of 2 million tourist’s celebrity marketing could be used. Certainly it will cost much to employ those celebrities but the returns on such an investment will be much higher. Those celebrities could be from Bollywood, Hollywood, and the world of sports. Those people will be regarded as trend setters for the higher segments and they position Mauritius as an aspirational / desirable holiday destination. Launching of a travel newspaper A travel newspaper/magazine providing the calendar of activities for the year should be published at least two times during a year. The magazine should be designed using our unique elements to show our uniqueness and it should be distributed to our strategic offices in our target markets. Those people working in our strategic offices should be encouraged to distribute those magazines to travel intermediaries across the world. In this way potential travelers will have a visual description of Mauritius and what they might be losing if they decide not to come to Mauritius. Branding Mauritius Branding plays an important role, as with all tourism destinations, as it is crucial to present a brand that will attract people. All campaigns, whether simply marketing campaigns or online/offline sales campaigns, need to include branding elements to attract potential tourists. The brand identity helps to establish a relationship between the destination and the customer, and can help to convince the latter to choose the destination. Without this element of branding, it would otherwise be hard to convince potential tourists to choose Mauritius over competing destinations.

Children and the Censorship of Internet Pornography Essay -- Internet

The Internet is a global network of vast information. With a few clicks, an individual can have access to up to 200 million web-sites filled with educational and recreational information. The Internet is not regulated in anyway (Carnegie Library 1). It is accessible throughout the entire world from the North to the South, to the early morning sunrise and dark sunsets. Different ethnicity and backgrounds come together linked upon this network resembling a connection of one body in unity. Sadly, issues arise creating concern for users, focusing particularly on minors. Pornography is one of the inappropriate materials on the Internet for minors. This material is harmful to young impressionable minds. Pornography is tearing and disintegrating the foundations of our society can be described as follows, "what was available to a small number of people willing to drive to the bad side of town can now be viewed at any time in the privacy of one"s home" (Anderson 2). In order to under stand how to aid in the critical decision of whether or not to censor child pornography, an individual has to first clearly understand a few terms. These terms will aid in a clear understanding throughout the case study. a.)Definition of "Censorship." The American Library Association defines Censorship as "the change in access status of material, made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include: exclusion, restriction, removal or age/grade level changes." Censorship predetermines and judges the material by imposing a standard view on what is appropriate for society. It is the act, process, or practice by which examining in order is to suppress or delete anything considered as objectionable. b.)"Pornography"... ...man Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Reported in the House) http://internet.ggu.edu/university_library/if/H4274.html  ·Anderson, Kerby. "The Pornography Plague." "Probe Ministries." http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/pornplag.html  ·Napili, Angela. "Pornography, Internet Filters, and Your Public Library." http://si.umich.edu/Community/connections/pro_InternetPorn.html  ·"From Now On / The Educational Technology Journa." Vol 5|No 5|March/April|1996 http://www.fno.org/mar96/whynot.html  ·Magid, Lawrence J. "Child Safety on the Information Highway." (c) 1998 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children http://safekids.com/child_safety.htm  ·Children in the Libarary. on Internet Access to Pornography." http://clpgh.org/clp/policy/position.shtml  ·FIRST AMENDMENT CYBER-TRIBUNE http://w3.trib.com/FACT/

Reality Versus Perception in the Kasdan Films, Grand Canyon and Mumford

Reality Versus Perception in the Kasdan Films, Grand Canyon and Mumford All of knowledge is founded on axioms: assumptions that are agreed upon for stability. However, since those axioms are assumptions and cannot be proven without a doubt, nothing ca truly be known with absolute certainly. Still, in order to carry on with life, assumptions have to be made. Knowing this, the task becomes making assumption that are more educated and, given the lack of certainty, ones that matter. Furthermore, the assumption of others can be examined more accurately with this knowledge in mind. The most important of these assumptions, and in many cases points of debate, is the nature of reality. The old world thought the matters of the spirit to be truly real, or ethereal, as opposed to the physical world. The modern period, on the other hand, held that sense perception was the only evidence that was concrete and that reality was only that which could be corroborated by sense perception. This gradual shift that occurred endeavored to transform humanity’s vi ew of reality from the ethereal to the physical. The fact of the matter, however, is that the modern period had no more indubitable evidence for believing in a physical reality than the people before it had for believing in an ethereal reality. As a result, the current time of postmodernism is fragmented in a disarray of those two realities and countless variations thereof. The world today is trying to figure out constantly what actual reality is, whether it truly is ethereal or physical. This trend can be observed in media to a large degree. The case here is that the Kasdan films Grand Canyon and Mumford are portraying this social struggle in the bifurcation of postmodernism.... ...lso that the reality of events throughout time is variable and relative. The nature of things commonly understood as good or bad are not necessary one or the other, but may change. Reality is a matter of perception. Whether reality is truly ethereal or actually physical in nature is determined, for the duration of life, by the living. Given this, it can also be conceived that no one knows the nature of what is happening to anyone as being positive or negative. No one even knows whether the nature of events is a constant factor, since finding that reality may be variable insinuates also that the nature of anything and everything may also be subject to change. So in truth, this inquisition, in some ways, is back at the starting point. However, there is an advantage in knowing what potential ignorance exists as opposed to being ignorant of that very ignorance.

Suleiman the Magnificent

The Ottoman Empire was an empire lasting from 1299 to 1923. Osman was leading the small Ottoman Empire in 1299 in western Anatolia and he was slowly extending his settlements away from his Muslim neighbors. It was not allowed for Muslims to kill other Muslims. He had a number of soldiers called the Ghazis who were brave, loyal and fearless. These solders helped Osman tread into unknown land and spread his rule. Osman’s name was becoming more known and after his death, people called him courageous strong and great. This is where the centuries old Turkish saying comes from: â€Å"May he be as good as Osman. † After a few centuries the Ottoman Empire was flourishing, it spanned 3 continents and contained 29 provinces. Suleiman the Magnificent was responsible for the prospering Empire that he ruled from 1520 to his death in 1566. Suleiman uses three main factors to run his empire successfully and cohesively. Suleiman the Magnificent used economic, social and military systems or techniques to develop a cohesive empire across a massive and culturally diverse land. Suleiman the Magnificent had a very culturally accepted land; this benefited the empire a lot since people with different religious backgrounds could live together. The Millet system was made by Sultan Mehmet the Second after he conquered Constantinople in 1453. Mehmet started by instituting the Christian Millets so that Europeans could join the Empire. Millets is what Suleiman used to make sure civilians could live peacefully. The sectors were not defined by ethnical background, rather by religious beliefs. This way a person from any decent could live in a sector without getting discriminated. There were five of these sectors: Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Armenians, Syriac Orthodox and Judaism. Each sector was usually run by a religious hierarch, like a priest. Millets were so effective because they prevented internal fights in the Empire and travelers felt safe. Another strategy that Suleiman used was that he distributed his laws publicly; this is where his nick name comes from â€Å"Suleiman the Lawgiver. † Making sure that there weren’t any civil wars was a big part of being a leader. If an enemy doesn’t strike from outside, an enemy may strike from inside. A civil war can cause many deaths and disrupt the focus of any leader. Suleiman would have to put all of his attention to people fighting inside his nation instead of focusing on incoming attacks from the outside. A lot of empires have fallen due to internal attacks. Interaction with other sectors was not too often which helps people be in an environment where everyone follows the same religion. There is also almost no interference from the government on how the leader chooses to run the Millets. Things like taxes and sometimes even laws aren’t checked by the government because there aren’t any rules against having different styles of living. Travelers from different religious backgrounds can now enter a land where they don’t have to be feared of not being able to walk in and get hurt because of their differences. This encourages travelers, who are usually traders to come to this culturally diverse and peaceful land to trade their goods, instead of going to Europe where only one religion was accepted: Christianity. Suleiman put out the laws on streets so that all could read and understand what is allowed and what is not. This was important because now everyone knew the difference between right and wrong. This also prevented officials from making fake or arbitrary laws. The Millet system and publicly distributing laws helped Suleiman the Magnificent lead a cohesive Empire because it prevented civil wars and officials planning schemes for the worst of the Ottoman empire. Suleiman’s Empire was also very economically strong; he managed to lead the richest Empire in the world at the time and own the gateway between the Black, Marmora, Aegean and Mediterranean Sea. Constantinople was part of the Roman Empire before Mehmed the Second conquered it in 1453. Mehmed primarily used gunpowder and ships to take over the centre of trade. At one point in the battle Constantinople made a golden chain in the sea so that Mehmed’s ships could not pass through. To solve the problem Mehmed used planks covered with grease to transport the ships over land, possibly to show his power and intimidate the enemy. Today Constantinople is known as Istanbul. Suleiman the Magnificent used Istanbul and the caravan routes to increase the income of the Empire. Istanbul was very effective due to its geographical position; it had a thin river going through it which was the only way to enter Africa, the Middle East and Europe by sea. This little strip of water is called the Bosphorous and whoever owned Istanbul could get money off of all the taxation of the heavy traffic. Ships carried silk, tea, spices and porcelain. From the Black Sea and southern Russian came ships with different types of furs, grain and amber. From Europe came mirrors and drugs. Ships from Venice and Genoa carried goods to Europe. The Ottoman navy protected the Bosphorous from pirates and other kinds of thieves. There was a tax on almost every transaction, but profit was limited to 10%. The trade through the Bosphorous was strictly looked after by the government to make sure there wasn’t any cheating or theft. When an employee left a company the government was notified right away. All markets were assigned a judge who had the right to punish those who tried to cheat. The government also made sure there weren’t any exports containing anything valuable like building material, minerals and food. The caravan routes were an essential part of making the Ottoman Empire richer than any other. Caravans were made up of groups of people and animals. Up to 20,000 people and 300,000 animals could be a general caravan traveling to Mecca made up of pilgrims and merchants. Numerous goods were shipped across the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. There were hundreds of routes that were protected by Ottoman soldiers. Since these routes were protected, Suleiman taxed travelers, and with the enormous amounts of people, they could make huge amounts of money. The caravan routes and Istanbul were two ways which Suleiman used to perfect his economy. This income was spent on extending his Empire and building various religious buildings to keep his Millets happy. Happy people meant a more cohesive Empire because everyone will stay motivated to do their job and stay in the Empire. Military is a massive part to a successful Empire, fortunately Suleiman had everything under control and used a system that really worked well. The Devschirme system started with Murad the First in the late 1300’s. Murad felt a need to counter the Turkic Nobles and started making a Christian army, independent of the regular army. It started off with two types of soldiers: infantry and cavalry. The cavalry was known as Kapikulu suvari (The Cavalry of the Servants of the Porte) and the infantry was called Yeni Ceri (Janissary. ) Firstly Christian slaves were trained for the elite force, but then the Devschirme system started to develop and Christian children were being adopted by the government to be brought up as Muslims. Then they would train in one of the four imperial institutions: the Palace, the Scribes, the Religious or the Military. Janissaries, army recruitment and technology are why the Military of Suleiman the Magnificent helped make a cohesive Empire. Janissary soldiers helped fight every major battle. They fought in wars against Austria and Hungary, defeated the Egyptian Mamluks and conquered Constantinople. Without the Janissaries there was a possibility that regular soldiers would not be able to withstand forces from Austria or Hungary and the Ottoman Empire could have been long captured. There were hundreds of trade routes to patrol and a huge border to protect. For this, the Empire needed an enormous army, but luckily with Suleiman Sultan the Military was always in best shape possible. Everyone who was captured would have to enroll in the army and serve the Empire. This way the Ottomans were never short on recruits, and don’t have to worry about any locations that they couldn’t control because of shortage on soldiers. The Ottomans were always ahead in technology when Suleiman was leading the Empire. They used gunpowder and ships to fight battles more efficiently, with cannons and gunpowder they could easily take down fort walls and with ships they could attack from sea. Janissaries, army recruitment and technology had the Ottoman Empire protected at all times. This way people did not need to worry about incoming attacks, but rather on their daily routines. Suleiman lead a very healthy empire by perfecting the economic, social and military aspects of the Empire to make it successful. The empire worked together not as individual people, making it very cohesive. When Suleiman’s reign finished the Empire headed downhill, but like Napoleon said â€Å"Turks can be defeated but never destroyed. †

Mansfield Park; Empire & Orientalism from Edward Said Essay

Edward Said’s analysis of Jane Austen’s narrative in her 3rd novel ‘Mansfield Park’ (1814) is based on his own studies of ‘orientalism’. This term is defined by Said as a variety of false assumptions /depictions of Eastern people within Western attitudes. This is achieved, he argues, through the literary discourse provided by post-enlightenment, post-colonial American/European (Western) authors. Said draws our attention to an underlying theme of ‘Mansfield Park’, which is empire. Said recycles his interpretation of stereotyped Muslims, Arabs & Egyptians and applies it again to a different social group. He does so by examining the novels representation of the Atlantic slave trade (in the West Indies), and in turn concludes that Austen must support British values of imperialism and empire. He points out the ease with which Austen’s characters refer to Antigua, and convinces us that Austen’s infrequent use of this word i s evidence of her personal support of the degradation of slaves. In his analysis of the text, Said starts at the beginning, and relies heavily on the ignorant way in which Sir Thomas’s colony is isolated from his family and domicile, which remains proudly on English land, miles across the globe. He implies that the slight references to Antigua do no justice to its own beauty, history, and the fact that it is, in comparison, a paradise island. However Austen does actually support this claim herself, as Lady Bertram does no justice to India, wanting only the commodities it can offer: â€Å"I may have a shawl. I think I will have two shawls† His ultimate point is that the ‘Antigua’ seen in Mansfield Park is no more than a place for work, necessary for obtaining personal luxuries and fortune for the locals of Britain. Austen doesn’t deny this in her novel, but she doesn’t shout about it either. Said’s writing just reminds us of how unfair the situation was, by pointing out the geographical space in betwe en Mansfield Park (where the money is spent and enjoyed) and the Antiguan sugar plantation (where the money is produced). His critique of â€Å"the ease with which the family’s needs are met by a sojourn in the Caribbean† is unnecessary and useless in explaining his point, it merely serves to highlight the fact that the slave trade was, at its peak, very successfully organised and achieved, due to the political military  force. â€Å"Sir Thomas’s means will be rather straitened, if the Antigua estate is to make such poor returns†, Mrs Norris’s comment proves that Austen is aware of the dependence of the family on their slave trade income, as is Lady Bertram, because her reply is: â€Å"Oh! that will soon be settled!†. Although his wife is unwilling to spend time talking on the subject, this type of ignorant attitude seems to be a convention of realism which Austen applies to her characters systemically, in hopes that their final outcomes will explain her own disposition on the subject. Said constantly alludes to Austen’s lack of concern for the slave tr ade, because her narrative lacks the description which is needed to properly illustrate the subject, and the setting. Said argues that without the slave trade, the Bertram’s could not have been possible, but again, I believe Austen is fully aware of the fact that slavery enables the Bertram’s to flourish in Mansfield Park. Otherwise, she simply would not have written so much about wealth and class in relation to the success of women, for example in the end of Pride & Prejudice (1813) Lizzie chose love over money, and Mr Darcy chose love over class. Furthermore Austen includes the downfall of the slave industry within her narrative, and in turn she shows the downfall of Sir Thomas because of the latter. Sir Thomas is depicted (in the end) as having remorse for his actions, and having learned his lesson through redemption. Jane Austen is stereotyped by Said as a typical euro-centric academic, naà ¯ve towards the REAL threats, inequalities and unfairness’s of the world. Just like the slaves Sir Thomas had the advantage of owning, Fanny becomes the only slave who is able to dwell i n Mansfield Park. I believe Austen’s hopes were that she would be seen as the epitome of the slave: â€Å"She could hardly believe it. To be placed above so many elegant young women! It was treating her like her cousins!† Austen explains, from the very first chapter how the class/background ideas of the era are a hindrance to her success, at home and in society. Overall she is treated as below standard, but by the end of the novel she is happy, reasonably comfortable and is married to the one whom she was meant to be worth less than. She was constantly referred to as from a different class, background, and place. Those notions of ‘breeding’ compare her to a mere puppy: â€Å"breed her up with them from this time, and suppose her even to have the beauty of an angel, and she will never be more to either than a sister†. Fanny herself remarked upon the â€Å"dead silence†Ã‚  which followed from her uncle, after her enquiries about the slave trade. She concluded that because she showed â€Å"a curiosity and pleasure in his information which he must wish his own daughters feel† she regretted asking about the slave colony, as if she just re-realised that she isn’t fit to do certain things. Her character reflects ideas of rank and persecution and oppression; she is the ultimate realist of the novel. With regard to the character of Sir Thomas and his silence on the subject of his work, Said would most likely argue that he is selfish and ignorant and therefore doesn’t permit any time being wasted on the subject. However, Austen is more likely treating the subject with the shame and embarrassment it deserves. It is my view that Austen would have been sympathetic towards these slaves and could not surely condone such hegemony, oppression and empire? After all she herself was a victim of oppression, being a female author unable to take credit and receive praise for her own work within society. Austen ended her life as a spinster, having never married a man, showing that she didn’t conform, for whatever reason(s), to social expectations of women. Moreover, her life was dependant on the males within her family, as per the UK’s laws regarding rights, inheri tance and property, because she had nothing of her own. Therefore she would be hypocritical to support the forced labour of slaves for the benefit of the nation she somewhat rejects. Supposing Austen was supportive of Britain’s imperialist venture for empire, surely someone with such priorities would have settled and married, just for wealth and security? This is summarised in Susan Fraiman’s writing: â€Å"Lacking the franchise, enjoying few property rights (and these because she was single), living as a dependent at the edge of her brother’s estate, and publishing her work anonymously, Austen was arguably a kind of exile in her own country† In conclusion I completely refute Edward Said’s claims toward Austen – his statements are judgemental and a little confused. Moreover, his attention to detail is lacking in research, as Fraiman cleverly states here: â€Å"So ready is Said to offer Austen as ‘Exhibit A’ in the case for culture’s endorsement of empire†. Indeed the degradation of slaves was clearly fact, however, if Austen herself is an outsider to Mansfield Park and its narrative, then her opinions would be channelled through her characters’ fate. In my opinion, Said fails to take into account the fate of such characters, and the possibility that humans can exercise remorse and  rehabilitation. Said draws the conclusion that Austen is lazily making trivial references to other important changes from this period, one being the Napoleonic revolution. However, I think that in the period and place she lived, it would have been nonsensical to openly critique the powers of the government, being that it really WAS un-just; it would have been too dangerous to do so. Bibliography Austen, Jane, Mansfield Park (Oxford World’s Classics, London: 1814) Said, Edward, ‘Jane Austen and Empire’, Culture and Imperialism (Knopf, New York: 1993) [http://www.scribd.com/doc/57070252/3-Edward-Said-Austen-and-Empire] accessed 19/10/2012 Fraiman, Susan, ’Jane Austen and Edward Said: Gender, Culture, and Imperialism’, Janeites: Austen’s Disciples and Devotees – edited by Deidre Lynch (Princeton, Princeton: 2000) [https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/orientalism-spring2011/files/Fraiman0001.pdf] accessed 19/10/2012

Economics Unit †housing prices from different cities Essay

The cost of housing is commonly the reflection of the value of the land plus the price of the house and the amenities that come with it. This is often affected by what’s around the place, the nearest recreation areas or sceneries. This affects how housing is priced, and is also usually affected by the supply and demand of the land. Because of this, there are various considerations when choosing where to have a house, including the total costs and what you’ll actually get from it. Usually, these prices also vary from city to city, as it is known that not all cities are the same regarding what you get from the housing deals, like the nearest public transportation, market, and schools. These all appeals to the needs of the people, and these are usually the ones that affect the pricing. The housing prices are directly affected by the changes in supply and demand of the land. This is because of the developments done in housing, wherein house prices are thoroughly based on the value of the amenities that are directly available in the neighborhood (Nelson). Because of this increase in demand, there will be an increase in the competition for the houses, since there are a lot of people wanting the same thing, and that is a good housing. As a number of residents are acquiring homes, the more the managers of the land would try and make sure to provide benefits for these residents. This includes additional security, recreation areas and shopping areas for the people. They are not only investing on the housing that they are being sold, but also with the things that come with it that would surely benefit the people. This is how the housing value is affected when there is an increase in demand: it is not only because you have to increase the price when a lot of people demand for housing in a specific city or area, it is also because of the increase in the services that one should provide for these increasing number of residents. The cost of those additional amenities would then be reflected in the housing price: the more amenities offered, the higher the price (Duca). Comparison of different cities In order to actually see how amenities affect the price of housing, the housing situations in various cities are compared. This is by comparing the price of a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house in several cities like San Francisco, California; Topeka, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; Concord, Massachusetts; and Seattle, Washington. The results for the housing prices in these different cities were varying, and it is because of the added amenities that you can find available upon purchase, plus the neighborhood and the type of house. The most obvious result was between the housing of a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house in San Francisco, California and Dallas, Texas. The cost of housing in San Francisco, California ranges from $600,000 to a million US dollars. Meanwhile, the cost of housing in Dallas, Texas for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house ranges from $40,000 to a hundred thousand US dollars (Realtor. com). The difference is quite large, and this is roughly because of the amenities that are included upon purchasing these houses. Housing in Dallas, Texas doesn’t offer much, wherein it is far from public transportation, and are often in subdivision areas. On the other hand, housing in San Francisco, California has amenities like community exercise and recreation areas, hill/mountain view, Water view, and so much more. Because of those differences, the prices of these housing deals are comparatively far from each other. These differences in housing deals give the people choices, wherein they are free to choose what type of amenities they want in their house. Also this variety would give them a wide array of choices, either wanting a plain, not so costly house, or to a fully-packed house that would surely cost them money. Other amenities present (or lacking) in some of the houses in various cities which could have affected their prices includes access to shopping areas/markets, nearby elementary or high schools, parks and recreation areas, and the type and quality of the house itself. With all these, the price the housing offered in the various cities is greatly varying. References: Duca, J. V. (2005, September/October 2005). Making Sense of Elevated Housing Prices. Southwest Economy Retrieved May 5, 2007, from http://www. dallasfed. org/research/swe/2005/swe0505b. html Nelson, A. C. (2000 ). Effects of Urban Containment on Housing Prices and Landowner Behavior. Land Lines, Volume 12(Number 3). Realtor. com. (2007). Find A Home. Retrieved May 5, 2007, from http://www. realtor. com/Default. aspx

12 Literary Piece

12 Literary piece that have Influenced the World 1. The Bible or the Sacred writings: This has become the basis of Christianity originating from Palestine and Greece 2. Koran: The Muslim bible originating from Arabia 3. The Iliad and the Odyssey: These have been the source of Myths and Legends of Greece. They were written by Homer. 4. The Mahabharata: The Longest epic of the world. It contains the history of religion in India. 5. Canterburry: it depicts the religion and customs of English in early days. This originated from England and written by Chaucer. 6.Uncle Tom's Cabin: written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of US. This depicted the sad fate of slaves. This became the basis of democracy. 7. The Divine Comedy: (A Dante of Italy). This shows the religion and customs of early Italians. 8. El' Cid Comedy: This shows the cultural characteristics of Spaniards and their national theory. 9. The Song of Roland: This includes the Doce Pares and Ronces Valles of France. It tells about the Golde n Age of Christianity in France. 10. The Book of the Dead: This includes the cult of Osiris and the Mythology and theology of Egypt. 1. The Book of the Days: This was written by Confucius of China. This became the basis of Christian Religion. 12. One thousand and One Night of the Arabian Nights: from Arabia and Persia(Iran). It shows the ways of government of industries and of society of Arabia's and Persians TOP 20 epics of the world 1. The Iliad by Homer (Greek) – Iliad is one of the most celebrated and well known epics of the world. It is believed to be written by in 9th century BC by Homer. This poem is based on the legend of Trojan war. Iliad means the tale of ilios or the tale of troy.It narrates the story of the Greek struggle to rescue Helen, from Trojans, the wrath of Achilles and subsequent destruction of Troy. 2. Mahabharata by Vyasa (Sanskrit) – Mahabharata is one of the great Indian epic compiled around 8th century BC. This epic poem has about one lakh cou plets in Sanskrit and it can be considered as the longest epic poem of the world. This ancient epic deals with the rivalry between cousins – Kauravas and Pandavas – of a great ruling family of India . The armies of the two groups meet at the battleground at Kurushetra in which the Pandavas can destroy the Kauravas.The epic consists of thousands of mythical and historical stories 3. The Odyssey by Homer (Greek) – Odyssey is believed to be written in 9th century B. C by Homer the great Greek poet. It describes the exploits of the Odysseus during his homecoming after the fall of Troy. This great epic follows the Aristotelian conventions of epic poem. The poem describes the obstacles faced by Odysseus, varied tests of gods that he had undergone, his affair with nymph Calypso on the homecoming voyage, and his return to his kingdom. 4. Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto (Italian epic) Orlando Furioso is a famous epic with full of supernatural, allegorical and romanti c adventures. The main theme of the epic is the war between Christians and pagans. Even though Ariosto, the writer, has depended much on the Graeco -Roman literary tradition of earlier writers for characters and incidents, it is a great epic poem due to his smooth versification and technical facility which make the poem vigorous and brilliant, with ironic and humorous contrasts. 5. Ramayana by Valmiki (Sanskrit) – Ramayana is a great Indian epic poem written in 5th century BC.It is the oldest and most popular epic of Indian sub continent, believed to be written by Valmiki. It is written in Sanskrit, one of the earliest Indo – European languages, and has around 2400 couplets in seven sections. Ramayana means â€Å"the journey of Rama†. It depicts the conflict between Rama, the incarnation of God Vishnu, and Ravana who can be taken as the representative of evil forces and the final victory of the God incarnated Rama in safeguarding the Dharma (Universal moral orde r). 6. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (Italian epic) Divine Comedy is a celebrated epic poem written by Dante in 14th century. The narrator is lost in a forest. The poet narrator meets Virgil who guides him through the world after death. Virgil takes him through Hell. They go through the base of the purgatory and he can see the terraces of it where the sins of those who are ultimately to be saved are cleansed away. Then Beatrice guides him to the ultimate heaven. The poem ends with his moment of illumination and the vision of trinity. 7. Beowulf Anonymous (Old English) – Beowulf, one of the earliest epic of the world, is based on a Scandinavian legend.It was written around 750 AD by an anonymous writer and it has about 3000 lines. Beowulf, the great warrior hero, saves Horthgar, the king of Danes, from the attack of Grendel, a terrible monster, by killing it. Grendel's mother attacks him to avenge the death of his son. In the fight, Beowulf kills the mother – mon ster also, but he gets a mortal wound in the fight and succumbs to it. This epic, the most celebrated survival from Old English  literature, is also the earliest extant poem in a modern European language. 8. Paradise Lost by John Milton (English) Paradise Lost is one of the greatest English literary epic based on the theme of fall of man given in the old Testament and it was written in 17th century by John Milton. The great poet wrote it † to justify the ways of god to man†. The epic poem begins with the the Satan's devilish plans to to take revenge against god for his expulsion from heaven. Some critics has opined that Milton's Satan is the hero of the epic poem due to the excellent depiction and exposition of that character. This epic is celebrated for Milton's grand style, his interpretation of Biblical myth and Christian doctrine. . Shahname by Firdousi (Persian) – Shah Name is great Persian epic based on the historical and mythical accounts of around fifty Persian kings. Shah Name means â€Å"book of kings†. The epic begins the mythical creation of Persia and ends in the narration of the stories of historical kings. The most famous story of Shah Name is about the legendary king of Rostam and Sohrab, his son. 10. Aeneid by Virgil (Latin) – Aeneid is a great epic which is based on the legend of Aeneas. It is Roman nationalistic and patriotic poem which narrates the evolution of great Roman mpire. This poem shows great dramatic skill of high order and power of description. Aeneas decides to establish a secure kingdom for his people in Italy. During the long and perilous voyage for it their ships are wreaked on the coast of Africa. The Dido of Carthage invites them which prolongs their voyage. In the next voyage, they reach Latinum, ruled by Latinus. Aeneas marries his daughter Lavinia after killing Turanus, another suitor of her. He establishes a city of lavinium which becomes a base for great Roman empire later. 11. Theogo ny (Greek mythology) Theogony is a Greek epic poem which describe the mythical cosmogony. It can be used as a sorce book of Greek myhology which tells about the origin of cosmos and it evolution. 12. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser – The Faerie Queene is considered as the first epic poem in modern English literature. This allegoric poem is arranged as a story for a twelve day feast, held by the queen of the fairyland. It is a national epic of England aimed at glorifying Queen Elizabeth. 13. The Epic of Gilgamesh – The epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest epic poem of the world.It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the ruler of Uruk and his companion Enkidu whose exploits are the described. The epic is equally fascinating for the window it opened to the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian cultures. 14. Buddhacarita by Asvaghosha (Indian epic poetry ) – Buddhacharita is considered as an authoritative work on Buddha's life. It describes the birth, early life , renun ciation, and teaching of Buddha. It is written in Sanskrit and has originally 28 cantos in which only 13 have been properly preserved. 15. Pharsalia by Lucan (Roman history) The Pharsalia is a celebrated Roman epic poem based on the Battle of Pharsalus which was occurred in 48 B. C. It depicts the civil war between forces led by Julius Caesar and the forces of Pompey the Great. This historical poem is considered as one of the greatest epic poem in the Latin literature. 16. Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – The theme of this great work is man's desire to transcend his physical limitations and his search for answers for eternal questions of mankind. 17. Raghuvamsa – Raghuvamsa describes the lives of the kings of the solar dynasty.It consists of 19 cantos. The epic chronicles the life of Rama and his ancestors. It is considered that Sanskrit epics have attained perfection in Raghuvamsa. 18. The Paradise Regained – The Paradise Regained is an epic poem from the master writer John Milton. It is not a sequel to Paradise Lost. The theme is the story of three temptations as revealed in the gospel of St. Luke. This epic is composed at the suggestion of Thomas Edward. 19. Don Juan – Don Juan is a the most effective and vigorous satire in the English literature.This poem reviews the social , political and economic condition of the Europe. It is a a kind of picturesque novel written in verse. The hero, don Juan ,wanders from one place to another and records his six adventures. Don Juan has visited Greece, Turkey, Russia, and England. 20. The Tale of Heiku – This is one of the most renounced Japanese epic poem based on the Buddhist law of impermanence. It tells the feud between two Japanese clans with elements of traditional folk narrative. Taira and Minemoto are the two clans mentioned in this great classic of medieval Japanese literature.